Sheet cutting and laying machines or apparatus



July 15, 1958 J. E. BATTERSBY 2,843,377

SHEET CUTTING AND LAYING MACHINES OR APPARATUS Filed Nov. 14. 1955 5Sheets-Sheet. 1

y 1953 J. E. BlATTERSBY 2,843,377

SHEET CUTTING AND LAYING MACHINES OR APPARATUS Filed Nov. 14, 1955 5Sheets-Sheet L2 July 15, 1958 J. E. BATTERSBY SHEET CUTTING AND LAY INGMACHINES OR APPARATUS Filed NOV. 14, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 15, 1958J. E. BATTERSBY 2,843,377

SHEET CUTTING AND LAYING MACHINES OR APPARATUS Filed Nov. 14, 1955 5Sheets-Sheefl 4 LZzu; 612-601 E Batters by July 15, .1958 J. E.BAT-TERSBY- 7 SHEET CUTTING AND LAYING MACHINES OR APPARATUS Filed Nov.14, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 lfrpv entom United. States. Patent.

SHEET CUTTING AND LAYING MACHINES OR APPARATUS James EckersleyBattersby, London, England, assignor t0 Masson Scott & Company Limited,London, England Application November 14, 1955, Serial No. 546,637

Claims priority, application Great Britain November 17, 1954 Claims. c1.271-76) This invention relates to sheet cutting and laying machines orapparatus of the kind in which sheets cut from one or more travellingwebs, generally by rotary cross cutting devices, are fed in overlappingrelationship to an automatic stacking device, usually referred to as anauto "matic layboy, in which the sheets are formed into a verticalstack. The overlapping of the cut sheets is effected by feeding themfrom a fast running conveyer leading from the cross cutting device to aslower running conveyer. These conveyers usually comprise a series oflongitudinally extending belts or tapes and their driving means aregenerally interconnectedby change speed gearing so that the relativeconveyer speeds can be varied. Control of the overlapping is effected bya transverse stop roll or similar device arranged above the slow runningconveyer at a desired point along its length to engage the forward endsof the advancing sheets and reduce their speed to that of said slowrunning conveyer. The stop device is adjustable along the length of theconveyer and is usually positioned so that as the rear edge of eachsheet ,drops from the fast running conveyer to the slow ,runningconveyer its forward edge is engaged by the stop device and the speedjofthe sheet thereby reduced. The sheets are thus overlapped like tiles ona roof along the slow running conveyer. It is usual practice to operatethe fast running conveyer at a higher speed, e. g. between and 30%greater, than the peripheral speed of the press rolls which feed thepaper to the cross cutting devices so that each sheet is under tensionbefore it is cut, and also for the purpose of affordinga gap betweenadjacent sheets or groups of sheets upon this conveyer. The width ofsuch gap varies according to the length of 'the sheet out, being greaterwith longer sheets. It fol- ..lows that the longer the sheet the widerwill be the gap between adjacent sheets and hence the difference inspeed between the fast and slow runningconveyers must be greater withlonger sheets in order to avoid interference between the adjacent edgesof sheets during overlapping, and hence the percentage of overlapmust beincreased in ajccordance with increasein the length of the sheets.

The formation of an overlapped series of sheets on the slow runningconveyer as described above involves the sliding of the forward edge ofeach sheet over the sheet preceding it and this gives rise todifliculties especially with thin sheets of paper and like material theforward edges of which tend to bend downwardly as theyleave the fastrunning conveyer and may fail to advance to the stop device. In suchcircumstances it is found necessary to impart a degree of temporaryrigidity to the sheets during the overlapping operation and variousmeans for accomplishing this purpose have been proposed or used. Thus inone known arrangement a shallow channel section is imparted to the sheetby suitable guides or channelling pieces which cause the longitudinaledges of the 'sheet to be bent upwardly. In another known arrangementacorrugated or wave like form With'troughs and crests extendinglongitudinally is imparted to"the"sl1eets 2,843,377 Patented July 15,1958 2 across the full width thereof by passing the sheets betweenrotating or travelling driven members which are profiled and relativelydisposed to give the desired formation. It is found in practice that therigidity imparting form so obtained tends to disappear soon afterleaving the forming means, and that if the latter are arranged to imparta deeper form the sheets may be damaged. It is an object of the presentinvention to provide improved means for imparting a greater degree oftemporary rigidity to the travelling sheets for overlapping purposeswithout the attendant disadvantages above mentioned.

Somewhat similar difficulties are encountered in laying sheets upon astack in an automatic stacking device or layboy, and it is a furtherobject of the invention to provide improved means for imparting agreater degree of temporary rigidity to the travelling sheets forstacking purposes than has hitherto been possible.

The invention consists in means for feeding sheets cut from webs for anoverlapping or laying operation, comprising rotating or travellingdriven means for engaging the sheets between them prior to suchoperation to impart a corrugated, Wave like or similar cross sectionalform to the sheets, in combination with a stationary surface arranged toreceive and support the sheets as they leave the driven means and havinga cross section of corrugated, wave like or similar form correspondingto and aligned with the form imparted to the sheet and engageabletherewith to maintain such form and facilitate the overlapping or layingoperation.

Any. suitable means can be employed for imparting the initialcorrugation or like formation to the sheets. Thus in one convenientarrangement an upper forming roll driven at the peripheral speed of asheet conveyer is arranged to engage the sheets as they leave theconveyer, the surface of the roll being ridged or having a corrugated orwave like profile to. impart the desired formation to the sheets, theroll ridges being disposed between the narrow tapes or hands of theusual conveyer. Preferably the end roll of the conveyer has a continuouscorrugated or wave like profile coacting with the upper roll, the tapesor bands being supported on the crowns of said profile. The upperforming roll may conveniently comprise a series of appropriately formeddiscs assembled on a shaft.

In a possible alternative arrangement the forming roll face forreceiving the sheets conveniently comprises a metal plate shaped to thedesired profile and extending across the width of the machine, beingmounted on a cross girder or other support. The profile of the platepreferably has a smooth and substantially uniform wave like form and isstraight in the direction of sheet travel. Preferably one or both endsof the plate are shaped with projections which enter between the beltsor tapes of an adjacent conveyer or conveyers, or between the hollows ofassociated forming rolls. The length of the stationary plate in thedirection of sheet travel and its relation, whether inclined orotherwise, to the travel of the sheets is determined by operatingconditions such as :conveyer speeds and the thickness and quality of thepaper or other material of the sheets.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure l is a side elevation partly in section of part of a sheet layingmachine or apparatusconstructed in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end view of the corrugating plate of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the corrugating plate;

Figure is a diagrammatic side elevation of an automatic sheet stackingdevice in which the invention may be incorporated in conjunction with asheet cutting device;

Figure 6 is a sectional side elevation of the movable carriage of anautomatic stacking device constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 7 is an end view of a pair of corrugating rolls of the stackingdevice;

Figure 8 is an end view of part of the corrugating plate of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a plan view of part of the corrugating plate;

Figure is an end view of another pair of corrugating rolls of thestacking device.

In carrying the invention into effect according to one convenient modeas applied to a sheet cutting and laying machine in which sheets cutfrom webs are fed in overlapping relation to a stacking device, the cutsheets are fed from the cutting device (not shown) by fast runningconveyer tapes 1 as shown in Figure 1 carried on an end roll 2, thesheets travelling from left to right. Upper controlling tapes 3 passingover a roll 4 may also be provided. For imparting to the sheets acorrugated or wave like cross section there is provided an upper'forming roll 5 which coacts with a lower roll 6 which carries the tapes1 of the fast running conveyer. The upper forming roll is carried in endbearings 7 mounted on a pair of inclined or horizontal arms 8 pivotallymounted at 9 on the machine frame. Each arm carries a nut 10 threaded ona post 11 resting on an abutment 12 on [the frame, the post beingrotatably adjustable by means of the member 13. A locking nut having ahandle 14 is also provided. By this arrangement the upper roll 5 can bemoved towards or away from the lower roll 6. The upper roll 6 comprisesa series of forming discs 15 mounted on a shaft 16 with interposedspacing discs 17 of smaller diameter as shown in Figure 2. The edges ofthe forming discs 15 have a shallow V profile with a rounded vortex, orother shape suitable for imparting a desired formation to the sheets.The lower roll 6 which carries the tapes 1 has a corrugated or wave likeprofile as seen in Figure 2 with relatively shallow crests 18 upon whichthe conveyor belts or tapes. 1 are supported so that they are interposedbetween the forming discs 15, the vertices of the latter being oppositethe troughs of the lower roll 6. The arrangement is such that sheetspassing between the two rolls have the desired longitudinal corrugationsimparted to them. For further control of the sheets a series oftravelling belts 'or tapes 19, preferably elastic, are arranged abovethem and are driven at the same speed as the fast running conveyertapes 1. The belts or tapes 19 are carried on rolls or pulleys 20 asseen in Figure 1 and are arranged to pass between the forming discs 15,and they may extend for any desired distance over the slow runningconveyer tapes 21 which are carried by rolls or pulleys 22. The sheetreceiving end of these slow running conveyer tapes is disposed at alower level than the delivery end of the fast running conveyer tapes 1,and between these two sets of conveyer tapes is mounted a stationaryplate 23 having a substantially horizontal or slightly inclined uppersurface positioned to receive the sheets delivered from the corrugationforming means and having a wave like cross section similar to that ofthe lower roll 6 of the said forming means and adapted to maintain theform of the sheets passing over it. For this purpose the wave like crosssection of the plate has substantially the same form as the formedsheets and its troughs and crests are aligned with the latter. The platesurface. is preferably either horizontal or slightly inclined upwardlyin the direction of travel of the sheets which necessarily tend to dropas they leave the forming rolls 5, 6 and hence travel in contact withthe waved surface of the plate. The rear edge of the plate 23, i. e.that which lies adjacent to the forming rolls 5, 6 is shaped to affordrearwardly projecting portions 24 which enter for a short distancebetween the fast running conveyer tapes 1 and thereby ensure a smootherand more satisfactory pick up of the sheets. As shown in Figures 1, 3and 4, a plate 23 having the desired waved form is secured by rivets 24aor other means to a flat plate 25 and the latter is secured by bolts 26or otherwise to a supporting girder or joist 27 extending across themachine. e. g. brass, may be used to form the waved plate surface. Thearrangement is such that the formed sheets leaving the forming meansengage with a waved or similarly profiled surface of the stationaryplate and continue to travel over the surface thereof until they leavethe forward edge of the plate which is located above and in the vicinityof the receiving ends of the slow running conveyer tapes 21. At somedistance from the forward edge of the plate 23, determined by theoperating conditions, the sheets will be received by the slow runningconveyer tapes 21 in the desired overlapped relation. It is found thatthe introduction of the stationary formed plate 23 as described abovevery greatly increases the degree of temporary rigidity imparted to thesheets and leads to a number of advantages which are referred tohereinafter.

The roll and pulleys 28 shown in Figure l engage the forward edges ofthe sheets to control the overlapping thereof. The tapes or belts 19pass freely between these pulleys.

The invention may also be applied to an automatic sheet stacking deviceor layboy as generally employed in conjunction with sheet cuttingmachines. Referring to Figure 5 which shows the general arrangement of astacking device of this kind, a rotary cutter 29 mounted on a frame 30is adapted to cut sheets from travelling webs (not shown) which are fedto the cutter from right to left. The cut sheets are received byconveyer tapes 31 which correspond to the conveyer tapes 1 of theprevious example. The cut sheets are transferred to slower runningconveyer tapes 32 (corresponding to the tapes 21 of the previousexample) so that the sheets are overlapped, means being provided, aspreviously described, for affording temporary rigidity to the sheetsduring overlapping. In order to form the stack of sheets shown at 33 itis necessary to propel each sheet across .the top surface of the stackuntil it strikes a stop board 34. The conveyer tapes 32 are carried upona frame 35 pivotally mounted at 36 and having its further end supportedby means of a link 37 from a vertically movable carriage 38 slidable inguides in a stationary structure 39. The carriage 38 is moved verticallyby means which are well known in the art so that sheets are deliveredover the top of the stack as it grows. Side guide plates 40 and 41 aresupported on the carriage 38. The

conveyor tapes 32 pass over a roll or pulleys 42 on the carriage 38.applied by way of example to a stacking arrangement of the kinddescribed above, a plate 43 (see Figure 6) of longitudinally corrugatedor waved form is secured on the carriage 38 behind the roll or pulleys42 to receive sheets delivered from the conveyer tapes 32. The shape ofthis plate 43 is shown in Figures 8 and 9, and the lateral spacing ofthe crowns 44 of the wave formatron is the same as the spacing of thetapes 32 of the conveyer, each of the crowns being in line with one ofthe tapes. Also the edges at the ends of the plate have a wave formationin plan view, the crests 45 corresponding with the crests 44. Sheetspassing over the plate 43 are delivered between a pair of drivencorrugating rolls 46 and 47 mounted in bearings on the carriage 38. Itwill be seen from Figure 6 that the lower roll 47 has a waved profileand this corresponds with the Any suitable metaL' In carrying theinvention into effect as waved formation of the stationary plate 43, thecrests 'beinginalignment. The lower roll 47 is mounted on a shaft 48carried in bearings 49 which are adjustable vertically by slidablesupports 50 and clamps 51. The upper roll 46 has corrugating rings 52which are arranged to apply light pressure to the sheets between thecrests of the lower roll 47. The shaft 53 of the upper roll 46 .iscarriedin bearings 54 which are adjustably secured in a pair of carriers55 secured to a shaft 56 notatably supported in the carriage 38. One ormore lever arms 57 secured to the shaft 56 can be engaged by a head orheads 58 of a pulling device 59 whereby the shaft 56 can be angularlydisplaced to raise the roll 46. Thus the rolls 46 and 47 can be adjustedrelatively to vary the depth of the corrugations produced, and also theupper roll can be raised when required as for example if the sheetsshould become jammed in the rolls. Meshing gears 60 and 61, having agear tooth form permitting roll adjustment, constitute a driveconnection between the rolls and the drive is applied thereto in anyconvenient manner. The corrugated sheets leaving the rolls 46 and 47 arereceived upon a second longitudinally corrugated or waved plate 62 whichis of similar form to the plate 43 already described. The plate 62 leadsthe sheets between a second pair of corrugating rolls 63and 64 theprofiles of which can be seen from Figure (10. The lower roll has acorrugated or waved profile the crests 65 of which correspond to and arealigned with the crests of the stationary plate 62. The upper roll 63has a series of rings or discs 66 which are disposed opposite the crests65 of the lower roll. These rolls deliver the sheets in succession uponthe top of the stack of sheets 33. The roll 63 is mounted in bearings 67adjustably secured in carriers 68 on a shaft 69. An arm or arms 70 onthe shaft 69 can be engaged by a pushing device 71 for raising the roll63 if required. The lower roll 64 is also adjustable as described forthe roll 41. Means are provided, as well understood in this art, forjogging the sheets as they are laid on the stack. Such means comprises aseries of fingers 72 to which vertical oscillation is imparted by meansof a linkage indicated at 73. It will be understood that the stationarycorrugated plates 43 and 62 in conjunction with the two pairs ofcorrugating rolls impart to the sheets a corrugated form which iscontinuous across the width thereof and aifords a degree of temporaryrigidity which greatly facilitates the propulsion of the sheets acrossthe stack.

It will be understood that the invention is not restricted to theexamples described above since constructional details of the formingmeans and of the stationary forming surface may be widely varied. Ifdesired the forming plate may be constructed so that its length in thedirection of sheet travel can be adjusted. This can be effected byproviding a pair of relatively slidable forming plates which can belocked in the desired relation. Alternatively there may be provided aseries of extensible plates of curved cross section and relativelynarrow width corresponding to the crest portions of a forming plate aspreviously described, said narrow plates being mounted on the mainforming plate so that they can be drawn out from the latter and lockedin desired position.

By this i venti-on there is provided a simple and effective meanswhereby the degree of temporary rigidity imparted to travelling sheetsfor either overlapping or stacking purposes can be considerablyincreased as compared with known machines. This enables the machines tobe operated at higher speeds than has hitherto been possible and alsoenables paper or other material of very thin or limp character, whichhas previously been very dilficult to overlap or stack, to be handledsatisfactorily. A further advantage obtainable is that as a result ofthe increased temporary rigidity obtainable when overlapping, the slowrunning conveyer can be run at a higher relative speed than hithertowithout risk of the advancing edges of the sheets dropping and foulingthe rear-edges of preceding sheets. Hence a considerable variation inthe percentage overlap of the sheets is permissible andthe frictionbetween sheets due to a large difierence in the conveyer speeds isreduced. As a result it has been found possible to obtain satisfactoryoverlapping and laying of relatively long sheets of thin or limp paperwhich cannot be dealt with on existing machines. The invention can beapplied to the handling of sheets of materials other than paper wheresimilar conditions are encountered.

I claim:

1. Means for delivering sheets cut from webs in at least partlyoverlapping relation including means for temporarily imparting to thesheets a multiple wave like cross section transverse to their directionof travel for the purpose of momentarily stitfening the sheets to aidthe overlapping thereof, the said means comprising driven elementsengaging and feeding the sheets between them and so shaped as to impartto the sheets the aforesaid multiple wave like cross section, and astationary element having a sheet supporting surface extending in thedirection of sheet travel for receiving and supporting the travellingsheets as they leave the said driven elements, the said stationarysupporting surface having a multiple wave like cross sectioncorresponding to and aligned with the multiple wave form temporarilyimparted to each sheet, and means for receiving the sheets leaving saidstationary element.

2. Means according to claim 1, in which the said driven and stationaryelements have a multiple wave like cross section extending over the fullwidth of the sheets.

3. Means according to claim 1, comprising conveyer tapes for the sheets,and in which the driven elements for engaging the sheets comprise anupper forming roll driven at the peripheral speed of the conveyer tapes,the surface of the said roll being ridged to impart the desiredformation to the sheets and the roll ridges being disposed between theconveyer tapes.

4. Means according to claim 1, comprising conveyer tapes for the sheets,and in which the driven elements or engaging the sheets comprise anupper forming roll driven at the peripheral speed of the conveyer tapes,the surface of the said roll being ridged to impart the desiredformation to the sheets and the roll ridges being disposed between theconveyer tapes, the said tapes being carried by an end roll coactingwith the upper forming roll and having a profile of multiple wave likeform, the tapes being carried upon thecrests of such profile.

5. Means according to claim 1, comprising conveyer tapes for the sheets,and in which the driven elements for engaging the sheets comprise anupper forming roll driven at the peripheral speed of the sheets andcomprising discs assembled upon a shaft, the disc peripheries beingshaped to constitute ridges for imparting the desired formation to thesheets and said ridges being disposed between the conveyer tapes.

6. Means according to claim 1, comprising conveyer tapes for the sheetsand in which the driven elements for engaging the sheets comprise anupper forming roll driven at the peripheral speed of the conveyer tapes,the surface of the said roll being ridged to impart the desiredformation to the sheets and the roll ridges being disposed between theconveyer tapes, bearings for the said forming roll, and means foradjusting said hearings to displace the roll towards and away from thepath of travel of the sheets.

7. Means according to claim 1, in which the said stationary elementcomprises a metal plate having a smooth and substantially uniform wavelike form and being straight in the direction of travel of the sheets.

8. Means according to claim 1 comprising conveyer tapes for the sheets,in which the said stationary element comprises a metal plate having asmooth and substantially uniform wave like form and being straight inthe direction of travel of the sheets, said plate having spacedproiecting portions along an end edge thereof disposed to extend betweenthe conveyertapes.

'9. Means according to 'claim 1, in which "th6."'Sh66tS are .fed to'thesaid stationary "element by fast running conveyer means, and the meansfor receiving the sheets from the stationary element comprise a slowerrunning oonveyer means whereby the sheets are laid upon the latter inoverlapped relation.

10. Means according to claim 1, in which the sheets are fed to the saidstationary element by fast running 'conveyer means, and the means forreceiving the sheets from the stationary element comprise a slowerrunning conveyer means whereby the sheets are laid upon the latter inoverlapped relation, the said driven elements comprising an upperforming roll of ridged shape for imparting the desired formation to thesheets and including spaced tapes driven at the same peripheral speed asthe sheets engaged by the forming roll and arranged to engage saidsheets to control their travel during the forming thereof, said tapesbeing disposed to lie between the ridges of the forming roll.

11. Means according to claim 1, in which the means for receiving thesheets from the stationary element comprises an automatic stackingdevice.

12. Means according to claim '1, in which the driven elements forengaging the sheets comprise forming rolls and the means for receivingthe sheets from the stationary element comprises an automatic stackingdevice including a vertically movable carriage, and the said formingrolls and stationary element are mounted on said carriage.

13. Means for delivering sheets cut from webs to an automatic sheetstacking device, comprising conveyer means for feeding the sheets,driven forming rolls positioned to engage between them the sheets fed bysaid conveyer means, the contour of said rolls being shaped fortemporarily imparting to the sheets a multiple wave like cross sectiontransverse to their direction of travel for the purpose of momentarilystiffening the sheets to aid in the stacking thereof, a stationaryelement having a sheet supporting surface extending in the direction-0fsheet travel and positioned to receive and support the travelling sheetsas they leave the said'forming rolls, the said'stationary supportingsurface having a multiplewave like cross section corresponding to andaligned with the multiple wave form temporarily imparted toeach sheet,and an automatic sheet stacking device arranged to receive'the' sheetsdelivered over said stationary supporting surface.

14. Means according to claim 13, comprising a'stationary sheetsupporting surface interposed between the conveyer means and the formingrolls to support the sheets as they are delivered to said rolls, saidsupporting surface having a multiple wave like cross sectioncorresponding tovand aligned with the wavelike surface ofthe first saidsupporting surface.

15. Means according to claim 13, comprising a second pair of drivenfeeding rolls positioned to engage the sheets received from thestationary supporting surface and to deliver said sheets to theautomatic stacking device, said rolls being shaped to engage the sheetsat spaced points.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS275,606 Demain Apr. 10,1883 671,377 Harris Apr. 2, 1901 708,958 CowanSept. 9, 1902 734,058 Bennett et al July 21, 1903 1,028,476 Adams June4, 1912 1,545,912 MaXson July 14, 1925 2,101,328 Broadmeyer Dec. 7, 19372,361,459 Corbin Oct. 31, 1944 2,797,096 Kirk June 25, 1957

